Table 2.
Leading Underlying Causesa of Death Among U.S. Army Active Duty Soldiers, 2014–2019 (n=2,530)
| Subgroupb | Cause of Deathc | Death Count (n) |
|---|---|---|
| Sex | ||
| Male | Suicide by gunshot wound | 538 |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 401 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 214 | |
| Neoplasme | 211 | |
| Cardiovascular disease and eventsf | 130 | |
| Female | Neoplasme | 52 |
| Suicide by gunshot wound | 37 | |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 30 | |
| Cardiovascular disease and eventsf | 16 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 14 | |
| Age, y | ||
| 17-24 | Motor vehicle accidentd | 215 |
| Suicide by gunshot wound | 195 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 106 | |
| Accidental overdose | 44 | |
| Homocide by gunshot wound | 34 | |
| 25-34 | Suicide by gunshot wound | 245 |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 152 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 74 | |
| Accidental overdose | 48 | |
| Homocide by gunshot wound | 31 | |
| 35-44 | Suicide by gunshot wound | 108 |
| Neoplasme | 91 | |
| Cardiovascular disease and eventsf | 60 | |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 51 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 42 | |
| 45-64 | Neoplasme | 106 |
| Cardiovascular disease and eventsf | 41 | |
| Suicide by gunshot wound | 27 | |
| Other illnessg | 22 | |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 19 | |
| Race and ethnicity | ||
| White, non-Hispanic | Suicide by gunshot wound | 383 |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 252 | |
| Neoplasme | 162 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 145 | |
| Accidental overdose | 98 | |
| Black, non-Hispanic | Motor vehicle accidentd | 100 |
| Suicide by gunshot wound | 85 | |
| Neoplasme | 63 | |
| Cardiovascular disease and eventsf | 42 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 27 | |
| Hispanic | Suicide by gunshot wound | 64 |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 50 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 33 | |
| Neoplasme | 21 | |
| Cardiovascular disease and eventsf | 17 | |
| Asian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic | Suicide by gunshot wound | 19 |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 16 | |
| Neoplasme | 12 | |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 10 | |
| Accidental drowning | 5 | |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native, non-Hispanic | Suicide by gunshot wound | 6 |
| Motor vehicle accidentd | 6 | |
| Suicide by hanging/asphyxiation | 2 | |
| Homocide by gunshot wound | 2 | |
| Accidental overdose | 1 | |
Abbreviations: n, number; y, years.
aCause of death based on the ICD-10 National Center for Health Statistics records and obtained from the Suicide Data Repository.
bInformation on demographic characteristics was obtained from the Defense Casualty Information Processing System or Defense Manpower Data Center.
cRank based on number of deaths.
dIncludes accidents involving heavy transport vehicles, buses, and individuals injured in collisions with motor vehicles, regardless of whether passenger, driver, or pedestrian.
eIncludes deaths directly attributed to primary or secondary neoplasms and complications of neoplasms.
fIncludes cardiac events, embolisms, aneurysms, strokes, and hemorrhages.
gIncludes diseases related to nervous system, respiratory system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, mental and behavioral disorders, congenital malformations, blood, endocrine, skin, pregnancy, infections, surgical complications, and all other natural conditions.